Feminism

Feminism is full of trash.
Don’t get me wrong, I like my rights- voting, speech, mobility etc. – but I really think that things are getting taken a little too far. Folks, I hate to break it to ya, but I’m 100% sure that women have a maternity instinct. I’m certain that men and women are different in more ways than just biology and I’m certain that this has led to us having different roles in the family and in society. I’m not saying that women shouldn’t do the taxes, make more money or even carry heavy things and open tough jars…I just think that people think that women’s reproduction abilities have left them at a natural disadvantage as men have dominated them. Yah, its not good that women have been doormats for centuries, I’m not a fan of that, but, I’m not a fan of removing the feminine from the woman. I’m not a man with breasts. I’m a woman. I have different instincts, different ways of thinking and yes, I can have babies…I was made that way. Not just in biology but also in my nature. I don’t want to be oppressed, but I sure as hell don’t want to be ‘liberated’ if it means that I can’t be feminine and that all my instincts are socially constructed. That’s just a load of garbage.

Homecoming ' a second cut'

Lets get a few things straight about homecoming. #1 there were a lot of drunk stupid people out there . but #2 it was by no means a ‘riot’ or ‘drunken brawl’. These terms are generally associated with some sort of physical fight. Yes, ONE car was tipped over by some idiot student (apparently also lit on fire ) [notably, the student pictured atop the over turned car in the Toronto star was a KCVI student… a guy in grade 12…apparently his principal wasn’t impressed ] BUT that’s pretty much all that happened. Bad, yes, granted, but not a drunken riot. Drunken, yes. Riot, no. #3 it wasn’t just queens students out there. Apparently the Queens journal found that one in three students asked were not from queens. I’d say that’s probably even a little low. I’d say it was probably like 50% NOT Queens students out partying on Aberdeen st. Our house had 4 people staying at our house on Saturday night of homecoming. One from western, one from dal and I don’t know where the other two were from. They all partied hard on Aberdeen while 3 of my 5 housemates were home by 1:00. The media took one very bad picture and turned queens students into monsters. There were aprox 5000 people on Aberdeen. And if only half of them were queens students that’s a significantly SMALL fraction of the student population being GIANT IDIOTS.
I did walk by Aberdeen with my good friend Hilary about 11:30 and by then the cops had horses, fire trucks and yes, riot gear. The things that make tension build are when police officers start to get ready for something to ‘happen’. Then the drunks start to think something is going to happen…then the police charge through with their horses…so the students get mad….so the police come through with riot gear… so the students get mad…. They were just standing in the street being drunk and the police decided to be offensive. SO, I would def say that the student weren’t entirely responsible. Sure, they’re responsible for their own actions and for being drunk and breaking bottles but when police officers arm themselves unnecessarily…it makes people think that they should do something deserving of all that effort.
So now, the police are handing out lots of J-walking tickets on campus. Some sort of revenge I think. Seems rather petty really. Especially since such a small fraction of Queens students are REALLY THAT DUMB.

*NB* As a person who does not get drunk, I was not one of the people on Aberdeen, only a tourist, with a camera.

A slightly blury picture of the corner of Johnson and Aberdeen. The police trying to keep people off the streets and onto the lawns 

A general sense of the crowds on the streets on homecoming saturday night. This pic is looking up Aberdeen. 

Homecoming 'a first cut' (as my profs would say)

Well its homecoming and i've put up a few pictures of the day. Some of you may not understand what homecoming is. Well, at Queens , one weekend a year is dedicated to the alumni returning and everyone getting drunk. While i don't get drunk, i do enjoy getting dressed up and going to the football game. Actually, homecoming always makes me feel like i'm in a movie. The parties are huge and everyone is drunk out of their minds and i'm a little island of sobriety as the world stumbles around me. So its interesting. i mean, if you ever want to feel out of place not drinking at home coming is certainly the place. I can't say i that i really love homecoming but its certainly an intersting experience. Tonight, the big night of partying, i plan on going to a pop and chip party then i'm hanging out with my good friend hilary. Hopefully i'll have some pics of our adventures in the ghetto (the student area at queens) for you all to see tomorrow.

The Engineers slam their jackets at center field 

a close up of the crazy engineers on the field 

The engineers begin to rush the field at half time 

The five ladies of Frontenac at the game 

My housemates and in front of our house 

Here I am all set for the game 

Who really solves the crimes?

So as many of you may know, I’m actually quite a fan of crime shows. I like law and order mainly but I’ve been known to watch CSI and all its spin offs along with anything else that fits the general topic of ‘who done it’. I should also note here that my parents watch a lot of JAG and subsequently I’ve watched a lot of it as well. My question this evening is in regards to the various impressions these shows leave me with. You see, I don’t actually know who is responsible for solving the crimes. I mean, if you watch law and order, it seems that the police and the lawyers do it. In CSI it’s the forensics people. In NYPD blue it’s the cops. On Profiler, it’s a profiler. In some of the stranger shows like medium (which I’ve never seen, and don’t plan on seeing) it seems to be a psychic who solves them or a dog on some shows. I guess its just left me with a really false sense of who is actually in charge of solving the crime. You don’t even really see some of the groups in the some of the shows leading me to think that perhaps their role is overblown in other shows ( ie. There are no lawyers in CSI and no dogs in medium (that I know of)). So my friends…what is the reality? And do all crimes really end up tied up neatly with a witty line just before commercial breaks and the final credits?

Lunch time viewing

My housemate Britt and I often watch family feud together while we eat our lunches and it seems that the advertising in this time slot is aimed at very specific groups of people. First you have the workers who are unsatisfied with their minimum wage jobs and are seeking a quick way to get farther in the world. There are at least 2 commercials for ITT tech and Devry every break. The second group is the group of people who are at home because they have been injured in an accident, in a car of work related. For these people there is a series of commercials by lawyers who do catchy things like rhyme their names with their practice “been hurt in a car? Call William matar” is my personal favourite. These lawyers claim to get what you really deserve for you. So pretty much they assume that anyone who is at home around 12 o’clock is either in search of a better life or injured. Britt and I often find ourselves marveling at the amount of people who must be in this circumstance if there is so much advertising aimed towards them. I suppose watching family feud is a good way to enjoy a lunch break with a friend.. I just wish that I didn’t feel such urge to apply to ITT tech or sue someone.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Back to School

Well, I officially stopped blogging for the summer as a result of my intensely busy schedule. I had twice as much work guiding this spring, which was nice but extremely exhausting. As well, camp kept me adequately sleep deprived. So here I sit 2 days from the first day of classes feeling like I haven’t even left for summer yet. When I came into my room that I’d abandoned minutes after completing my last exam, nothing had changed. My notes were still on my desk from a brief preexam cram. My four month erasable calendar still tells me what I did in January and interestingly, all the days are crossed off except for the last week. Apparently I was too busy to even cross them off. And so now 3rd year begins. I’m excited. I have a lot of potentially excellent courses and I’m pleased to have regained my independence and autonomy. Granted, I miss Kieth way too much but, such things can not be helped and I’m just gonna suck it up…b/c frankly, no one is going to read a blog full of sappy ‘I miss my bf’ posts. So there will be none of those. Instead, I promise you that this year will be full of all the excitement that last year’s blog held. So, thanks for tuning back in.